Ultrafast Thermal Cycling of Solar Panels

Two new cyclers that utilize a novel hybrid approach to perform fast thermal cycling of solar panels have been built and are now operational in the Mechanics and Materials Technology Center at The Aerospace Corporation. These cyclers are part of a continuing effort to minimize solar cell life test durations by accelerating the cycling rates. These fully automated cyclers, which provide continuous unmanned cycling in a gaseous nitrogen atmosphere, can execute 5 min cycles, thus yielding in excess of 100,000 cycles per year. They also have a unique capability of verifying solar panel functionality without interruption of cycling, so that cycling doesnt continue on nonfunctioning panels.